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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22745167">Storm (Inside)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_the_love_of_wolves/pseuds/for_the_love_of_wolves'>for_the_love_of_wolves</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Elements [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Perthshire Cottage, Polyamory, Scis &amp; Spies, Storms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 09:14:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,239</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22745167</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_the_love_of_wolves/pseuds/for_the_love_of_wolves</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Hunter wakes up in the middle of the night, a storm is raging and one of his lovers is missing. (Written for Team Earth's Elements February. Week Two: Air)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Leo Fitz/Lance Hunter/Bobbi Morse/Jemma Simmons</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Elements [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1627423</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Storm (Inside)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>When Hunter wakes up in the middle of the night, a storm is raging and one of his lovers is missing. He quickly figures out, who’s not by his side. Jemma’s hand is laying on his stomach, twitching occasionally. He has his nose buried in Bobbi’s soft hair and his hands on her hip. Fitz isn’t there.</p><p>Hunter sighs and rolls around on his back, staring up at the ceiling. The wind roars, hitting the walls violently. The window frames are rattling and the whole cottage is creaking in protest. Hunter waits a few sleepy moments. Maybe Fitz has just gone to the bathroom and will return any second. But he doesn’t.</p><p>Finally, Hunter reaches for his phone, too look at the time. Shite. It’s three in the morning. Worry mingles into the lingering sleepiness that tries to make his eyes fall shut again. Hunter forces them to stay open and gets up carefully, hoping to not wake the girls.</p><p>He walks out the sleeping room on his tiptoes, swaying towards the stairs. He can see light coming from the living room. So, Fitz is still up. Again.</p><p>Hunter knows all too well Fitz has troubles dealing with big changes. He also knows Fitz has been doing his best to not let anyone notice he struggles with getting used to all the new smells. Or the noises. But Fitz doesn’t hide his flinching and frowning well enough from Hunter.</p><p>Fitz is sitting at the table, hunched over a heap of pages, supporting his head in both hands. When Hunter knocks at the door lightly, to not scare him, Fitz perks up, blinking into the light repeatedly, his eyes only slowly focusing on Hunter. Bloody hell. His boyfriend looks incredibly exhausted.</p><p>“Hey,” Hunter says quietly, approaching Fitz. The closer he comes, the more signs of extreme exhaustion he notices. The dark bags under Fitz’s eyes. The slight shaking in his hand. His body shivering. The yawn he tries to hide by gritting his teeth. “Have troubles sleeping?”</p><p>Fitz shrugs, making a vague gesture towards the papers spread around him. “I just … Couldn’t stop working,” he mumbles.</p><p>Hunter feels a pang of actual hurt. “You know you can tell me the truth, love,” he says.</p><p>Fitz looks away, embarrassed.</p><p>„It’s the storm, isn’t it?” Hunter asks.</p><p>Right this moment, a strong gust hits the cottage, producing an aching noise. Thunder is rolling in the distance. Fitz tenses up. Hunter looks at him pointedly and Fitz sighs in defeat, closing his eyes for a moment and massaging his temples with the tips of his fingers. “Yes. Yes, it <em>is</em> the storm. But … not only.”</p><p>Hunter hums. “Do you want to sit on the couch with me?”</p><p>Fitz hesitates. But when he looks over at the couch, he seems to realize how much softer it is then the uncomfortable wooden chair he has undoubtedly been sitting on for ages, he nods carefully and gets up, grimacing.</p><p>They both sit on the couch and Hunter opens his arms invitingly. Fitz leans against him, putting his head into the crook of Hunter’s neck. Hunter makes a pleased noise. He could fall asleep like this. But no. First, he has to make sure Fitz is alright.</p><p>“So, not only the storm,” he says. “What else is on your mind, love?”</p><p>Fitz sighs. He sounds frustrated. “It’s stupid.”</p><p>Hunter shakes his head. “It’s not. Not to me.”</p><p>Fitz chews on his lip. “Uh. It’s just the thoughts again, you know. Thoughts like, you’re destroying everyone’s happiness. Or, you’re just a burden to everyone. Didn’t let me sleep. I tried for a while, but it didn’t work. And now I’m tired. But … I’m scared this is a good night for bad dreams.” He sighs heavily. His breath tickles Hunter’s neck. “And the storm isn’t helping. I know it’s so silly, but I’m still scared of thunder and lightning, like I’ve been scared as a child. I still remember hiding under the blanket. And I still can my father hear yelling at me for it,” he shudders.</p><p>Hunter hugs him tighter. “It isn’t silly. We’re all afraid of something. Like, I’m afraid of spiders. Do you remember the big hairy one you got out last week?” Hunter shivers playfully violent and gags. Fitz chuckles. Hunter is glad to hear the noise. It warms his heart. God knows Fitz is chuckling and smiling still way too little. It’s one of Hunter’s goals, to change this.</p><p>“It’s all fine, Fitz,” he says, giving his boyfriend a kiss on top of his nose. “We are all incredibly happy to have you here, you know that. We’re all glad to be here, together. Alive. Mostly well, aside from all the scars and trauma we have to help each other to process.” Everything could have been so much worse is, what he doesn’t say. They know it too well. They could have lost each other on so many occasions. They lost Fitz once already. Hunter feels a dull ache at the thought and rather shoves it aside. Not now. Now is not the time.</p><p>Fitz sighs. “I know … I want to believe it. I’m trying to convince myself. I … I just need a little bit more time.”</p><p>“And you’ll have it. We have time now. A lot of time,” Hunter says, stroking Fitz’s back. Time together. Time to heal. Time to reassure. Time to love.</p><p>“Do we?” A tired small voice suddenly says from the door and the boys perk up, seeing Jemma standing there, rubbing her eyes. “It’s pretty late in the night and you should be sleeping,” she murmurs.</p><p>“Why are you awake then?” Hunter asks, amused.</p><p>“The storm is too loud,” Jemma says, scrunching her nose. “Something hit the window. I think it was a branch.”</p><p>“Bloody hell. I hope our old apple tree in the garden will remain standing,” Hunter mumbles. “Do you want to join our cuddle heap?” He asks Jemma.</p><p>She nods and comes to them, leaning against Fitz with a hearty yawn. “Why are you down here anyway?”</p><p>“Had some troubles sleeping,” Fitz says, his eyes now so heavy he can barely hold them open. “Hunter helped.”</p><p>Jemma hums and wraps her arms around Fitz. “Better now?”</p><p>Fitz nods, yawning out a breathy “Yeah.”</p><p>Hunter smiles. He reaches out to be able to touch both Fitz and Jemma, enjoying the warmth radiating from their bodies. He isn’t much surprised, when Bobbi comes into the room only a moment later, carrying their favourite fuzzy blanket. She spreads it over them without a word and drops on Hunter, who gasps as the air is forced out of his lungs. “Bob!”</p><p>“Hush,” she mumbles. “Be a good pillow.”</p><p>He’s trying.</p><p>The wind is getting quieter. The walls stop aching and the rain beats against the window panes tamer now. From time to time, there’s thunder rolling, but it’s far away. Hunter soon feels Fitz going slack and hears his breaths getting slow and even. Good. Fitz needs the rest. He feels himself getting sleepy again and closes his eyes, leaning his chin on Bobbi’s head. He’s being crushed under his loved ones, which really is the best thing ever and he doesn’t want to be anywhere else. He figures no one is going to go up to the actual bed tonight. </p><p>“Night,” Jemma mumbles, barely audible, before she begins to snore softly.</p><p>Hunter smiles and lays his thoughts to rest.</p>
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